LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Sharon and Abby Outlaw do not have too much in common.
“The first time I worked with her, it was so weird,” Sharon said. “I’m used to being called Sharron or Mrs. Outlaw, and all of a sudden, I hear ‘mom’! Like what? Mom?”
Abby added, “Initially when I first took on the job with us being polar opposite personalities, I was on the fence about working in the same unit with her because – like I love her, that’s my mom – but that’s my mom.”
The mother and daughter find their common ground on the cardiovascular intensive care unit at UofL Health Heart Hospital.
“Our unit as a whole works really well together as a team. We have to as sick as these people are. But yes, I can tell Abby what I need and why and she jumps right on it,” Sharon said.
For more than a year, they have worked in tandem. The ebb and flow is clear as they work to set up a room for a critically ill patient.
Their relationship has deepened, both personally, professionally and especially when Sharon hears how much people love Abby.
“The patients and families all know we’re mother and daughter. What’s neat is I’ll come into work, and she’ll have worked when I was off and they say, ‘Abby did such a great job taking care of me or my loved one.’ So that’s been really nice to see,” Sharon said.
Both Sharon and Abby are used to dealing with the sickest patients in the building which can be heavy on all hearts.
"The first time I ever dealt with death was here, on this unit. She [Sharon] was there that day. It was cool to actually have somebody to sympathize with me on that level. She’s been there way many more times than I have. I’m sure she knew how I was feeling for my first time ever. She just hugged me, held me, and told me it was going to be ok," Abby said.
The women pour out their hearts while healing their patients’ hearts.
“Our bond is much stronger than its probably ever been, honestly,” Sharon said.
Abby is currently pursuing a nursing degree through a University of Louisville program that covers tuition for children of employees.
She hopes to join her mother as a nurse in the cardiovascular ICU.
►Contact reporter Hayley Minogue at hminogue@whas11.com. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, or visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.
►Sign up for the WHAS11 newsletter: "WHAS Up Kentuckiana." Get the latest headlines and videos from around Kentuckiana delivered daily to your inbox.